The New Way To Prevent Heart Disease

Time to roll up your sleeves

More than 27 million Americans suffer from heart disease, a condition that’s the leading cause of death across the country. Fortunately, one major contributor to the illness might soon be a thing of the past: New research raises the exciting prospect of a vaccine to prevent atherosclerosis, or blocked arteries, a common cause of heart attack and stroke.

Atherosclerosis occurs when fat, cholesterol, and other substances—broadly referred to as plaque—accumulate inside the arteries, restricting blood flow to the heart and brain. Medical experts aren’t exactly sure what triggers plaque buildup, but this latest research, from the Columbia University Medical Center, might help prevent it, according to study author Ira Tabas, MD, PhD, a professor of pathology & cell biology at CUMC.

When your immune system detects the presence of artery-clogging plaque, it triggers the production of two types of “T cells”—some that promote inflammation to attack the plaque buildup, and some to keep that attack response in check, Dr. Tabas explains. His team’s research found that those attacker T cells effectively destroy plaque, but also concluded, surprisingly, that anti-inflammatory T cells usually dominate when the body encounters buildup. If scientists can figure out how to curb those T cells, they could develop a vaccine to prevent plaque accumulation, Dr. Tabas says.

Despite this promising finding, Dr. Tabas also cautions that a vaccine remains years away from reality. So what can you do in the meantime? Manage your risk factors, he says. That includes regular exercise, a diet low in saturated fat, and the careful monitoring of LDL cholesterol and blood pressure.

Fortunately, those goals aren’t dauntingly difficult to accomplish. Thirty minutes of exercise per day, plus a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and fish, can work wonders for heart health, according to the National Institutes of Health. And don’t forget about soluble fiber, found in foods like flax seeds, whole grain breads, and nuts—it helps tackle visceral fat, which accumulates around the internal organs, and may be among the greatest risk factors for atherosclerosis, according to recent research.